Apparatus for filling containers



June 26, 1951 R. H. WINTERs APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 1l. 1947 A7 TOP/VEYS `lune 26, 1951 R. H. WINTERS 2,558,028

APPARATUS FOR FILLING coNTAINERs Filed Feb. 11, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @AMAA June 26, 1951 R, H WW1-ERS 2,558,028

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 1l. 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOA 1 d am@ 45 www@ A T TOP/VEYS June 26, 1951 R. H. WINTERS 2,558,028

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 11, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY @Maf ATTQRNEYS Patented `lune 26, 1951 UNITED STATES Piit'l QFFICE Russell H. Winters, Green Bay, Wis., assignor to The Larsen Company, Green Bay, Wis.

Application February 11, 1947, Serial N0. 727,796

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for lling containers and more particularly to a method for filling a procession of containers with a plurality of separated layers of materials and to an apparatus for dispensing sheet material pieces into said procession of containers.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide such a method and apparatus which alternately deposits a layer I" .different foodstus and sheet material pieces into the containers so that the various layers of foodstuffs are maintained separate from each other. Thus relatively small amounts of different foodstuffs are packed in a single container from which the various layers can be separately removed and used in any desired manner, such as, for example, to form an attractive salad or garnish.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide such a method and apparatus which is adapted to a continuous high speed can illing operation and in particular is adapted for use in a single line in which the alternate operations of lling the cans with the different foodstuffs and inserting parchment paper separators is arranged in proper sequence to render this type of pack commercially practicable.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method and apparatus in which the successive cans are uniformly provided with the saine proportions of the diierent foodstuis and in which the several layers are uniformly provided with parchment paper separators arranged therebetween.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus for inserting the parchment paper separator in each can on top of each layer, except for the top layer, and which operates rapidly and positively so as to be capable of being synchronized with high speed filling lines.

Another aim of the invention is to provide such a method and apparatus which operates with a minimum of hand labor and supervision.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which operates without danger of crumpling or y folding the parchment paper separators in inserting them in the cans and also Without danger of crushing or disturbing the layers of foodstuis packed therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of al can filling and sealing line and showing the successive stations at which the cans are packed with layers of foodstuffs and receive parchment paper separators in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a tcp plan view thereof.

Figs. 3-8 are vertical sections through a can being lled in accordance with the present invention these gures being arranged with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 so as to illustrate the successive operations performed at the various stations of the can filling line.

Fig. 9 is a vertical fragmentary section, partly in elevation, of one of the devices for dispensing the parchment paper separators into the can.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line l-lt, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 12 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof viewed from the same direction as in Fig. 9.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line lt-Iiljig 9.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line l-IE, Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line l6|6, Fig. 14.

In the practice of the present invention the cans are filled and sealed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 8, inclusive, these figures illustrating the sequence of material lling and disklaying operations. The can I9, filled and sealed as illustrated in Fig. 8, is shown as containing live separate layers 29d-e inclusive of different foodstuffs and with a parchment paper separator 2l interposed between adjacent layers. These layers and parchment paper separators are inserted in each can in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3-7 by apparatus shown in the filling line, Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l and 2, the numeral 22 represents a vertical canway which feeds a succession of empty cans open at one end to a can-lining line having a number of stations at which the cans are successively filled with relatively small predetermined amounts of different foodstuffs so as to form layers with parchment paper separators arranged therebetween. At each station the line of cans is diverted into a can filler, indicated generally at 23, which can be of any suitable conventional automatic or semi-automatic type for depositing a predetermined quantity of foodstus into each passing can. At each station, with the exception of the first station, a parchment paper separator 2l is inserted into each can prior to the insertion of the layer of foodstuifs at that station, the insertion of these parchment paper separators being eiiected by a device indicated generally at 24. The construction and operation of each of these devices is illustrated in Figs- 9-16 inclusive. Following the last station the line of cans is admitted to a can sealing machine, illustrated generally at 25 and which can be of any conventional type.

At the first iling station the empty open-top can l is filled with the first layer 26a of foodstuffs as illustrated in Fig. 3, by the can filler 23 at this station. From this first station the line of cans proceeds to the second station where a parchment paper separator 2l is first vdropped into each can on top of the layer 25a by the device 24 at this station, following which the second layer 26h of foodstuffs is deposited on top of this parchment paper separator by the filler 23 at this Second station. The partly filled can as it leaves the second filling station is illustrated in Fig. 4.

The procedure at the second station is repeated at the third, fourth and fifth filling stations, the line of cans progressively passing past these filling stations at each of which a parchment paper separator 2l is rst dropped into the can on top of the uppermost layer therein by the device 24 at each of these stations, following which a layer of foodstuis is deposited on top of this parchment paper separator 2l by the ller 23 at each of these stations. In Figs 5, 6 and l'i is illustrated the condition of each can leaving, respectively, the third, fourth and fifth iilling stations. Following the fth station the line of cans enters the can sealer 25 in which a top 26 is applied to the open end of the can to provide a sealed closure therefor. i

The apparatus for dropping a parchment paper separator 2| into each of the passing cans at the second, third, fourth and iifth filling stations is illustrated in Figs. 9-16. This device is mounted on the upward extension of the Vertical shaft 39 of the can filler which carries the can feed star wheel 3l which feeds the line of cans le into the can filler. The device comprises a frame member 32 having a tubular part 33 surrounding the upward extension of the rotating shaft and provided with bearing bushings 34 between this tubular part 33 and the shaft 30. At its lower end this tubular part 33 of the frame member 32 is supported on a thrust bearing disk 35 which in turn is supported upon a collar 36 fast to the shaft 36 immediately above the can feed star wheel 3i. The frame member 32 is prevented from rotating with the shaft 30 in any suitable manner as by the provision of a strap 38 which can be attached to any stationary part of the can filler adjacent the device. The upper part of the frame member 32 is formed to provide a gear box 39 for a bevel gear fast to the shaft 30 and meshing with a bevel pinion 4i fast to a horizontal stub shaft 42 which is journaled in bushings 43 mounted in a neck 44 projecting laterally from one side of the gear box, as best illustrated in Fig. 9.

The gear box is shown as covered by a hori- Zontal top plate 45 which can be secured in any suitable manner, and a retaining collar 46 is also shown as secured to the upper end of the 4 shaft 36 immediately above the hub of the bevel gear wheel 45 which projects upwardly through an opening provided in the top plate 45.

The outer end of the horizontal stub shaft 42 is enlarged, as indicated at 41, and on this errlargement is non-rotatably mounted a rotor 48, this rotor being preferably retained on the enL largement 4l by an integral end head 49 on the stub shaft 42. The rotor 48 is in the form of a disk having a cylindrical but relatively narrow periphery 50 and iiat radially extending sides 5l and 52.

The rotor 48 is provided with means for removing or stripping ofi the lowermost parchment paper separator from a stack of separators arranged in an overhead magazine, which magazine is preferably constructed as follows: The cover 45 for the gear box 39 is formed on the side adjacent the rotor to provide an upstanding iiange 55. A base block 56 is secured to this upstanding flange 55 by means of screws 58, or in any other suitable manner, this base block being provided with a vertical stepped bore 59 in which is removably inserted an open-ended cylinder 6G, the lower end of which is supported on the step of this stepped bore 59. A stack of the parchment paper separators 2l, each of which is in the form of a thin flat disk, is contained in the cylinder 66, the lowermost parchment paper separator 2i of this stack resting at one side on the periphery 50 of the rotor 48, as best shown in Fig. l5. The other side of this lowerrnost parchment paper separator 2l is supported at a higher elevation upon a pin 6l which extends upwardly through a semi-circular bottom plate 62 which closes off half of the bottom of the stepped bore 59 of the base block 55. This semi-circular plate 62 is shown as secured to the bottom of the base block 56 by screws 53 and the pin 6i is shown as supported by an 1 -shaped block 64, having an upstanding part which is secured to the adjacent side of the base block 55 by screws 65, as best shown in Figs. 11 and l5. The pin 6l is shown as held in the L-shaped block 64 by means of a set screw 66 and which permits adjustment of the elevation of the upper end of this pin.

rBhe parchment paper separator 2l stripped o from the bottom of the stack contained in the base block 5S and magazine cylinder 60 is protectively guided on the periphery 56 of the rotor 48 in its movement along with this rotor by a semi-circular metal shield 68 which embraces the downwardly moving side of this rotor and is arranged in closely spaced relation to its periphery 56, as best shown in Fig. 15. The upper end of this semi-circular shield can be secured to the base block 56 in any suitable manner as by the upstanding ear 68 provided thereon and attached to the side of the base block 56 by the screws 76. The semi-circular shield 68 is shown as being of sufficient width to shroud each passing disk and prevent it from being displaced or crumpled during any part of its travel with the periphery 50 of the rotor 48.

The lowermost parchment paper separator 2| is stripped by the rotor from the overhead stack by means of vacuum. For this purpose the rotor 4c is provided on diametrically opposite sides with a pair of radially extending passages 15, the enlarged outer ends of which open to the periphery 56 of this rotor. In the enlarged outer end of each of these passages 'l5 is arranged a rubber nipple 16 of soft frictional material such as rubber, which preferably projects a slight amount radially outwardly from the periphery U of the rotor and is provided with a central bore leading from its outer face to the radial passage 'l5 of the rotor 48. Adjacent its inner end each radial passage 'l5 communicates with a lateral passage 'I8 leading to the iiat face 52 of the rotor.

This iiat face 52 is engaged by a flat face 35 of a valve member 8| this valve member being generally in the form of a disk and slidingly mounted on the neck 44 of the gear box 3S and being urged into engagement with the flat face 52 of the rotor by a helical compression spring 82. This valve member 8| is shown -as held against rotation by a pair of keys 83 which connect this valve member to the stationary neck 44 of the gear box 39, as best shown in Figs. 14 and 16. A semi-circular or arcuate groove S4 is provided in the flat face 88 of the valve member 8|, this groove being concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotor 48 and being arranged to register with the passages 'I8 of the rotor 48 during the greater part of the downward movement of each of these passages 18. The upper end of the arcuate groove 34 is shown as communicating with a port 85 leading to a passage 86 which in turn leads to a vacuum line 88. This vacuum line 88 can be connected to any suitable vacuum source (not shown) to maintain a vacuum in the arcuate groove 84.

Beyond the extreme lower end of the arcuate groove 84 a port 89 is provided in the flat face 80 of the valve member 8|, this port being adapted to communicate with the passages 'F8 of the rotor 48 and being in communication with a passage 90 connecting with a line 9|. This line 9| can be open to the atmosphere or can be connected to any suitable source (not shown) of compressed air.

In order to insure proper deposit of each parchment paper separator 2| by the rotor 48 into the cam I9 being conveyed by the can feed star wheel 3i, a stationary stripping device, indicated generally at $55, is provided. This stripping device is shown as being in the form of a piece of wire which is secured at its upper end to the L-shaped block 64 by the screw 66 and the ends of which extend downwardly on opposite sides of the rotor 48. Each of these wire ends extends downwardly along the rising side of the rotor 48 to a position below the lowermost extremity of this rotor and immediately above the open end of the can I9 passing thereunder. The extremity 96 of each of these wire ends is bent upwardly to lie alongside the descending side of the rotor 48 immediately adjacent its periphery and is preferably arranged substantially tangential to this wheel, as best shown in Figs. 11 and 15. These extremities 95 thereby provide downwardly extending strippers which serve to insure the removal of the parchment paper separator 2| from the rotor 48.

For the operation of the device the different materials to be lled into the cans are supplied to the can llers 23 at each of the ve stations illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; a stack of parchment paper separators 2| is maintained in the cylindrical magazine 6G of each device 24 as the second, third, fourth and fifth stations and a line of cans is being conveyed successively through the can llers 23 at each of the five stations to the can sealer 25. At the rst station illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the line of cans I9 is diverted 6 into a .can ller 23 and the bottom layer 20a of foodstuffs is deposited in each can by this filler. The cans so lled with one layer 20a continuously pass to the second station where they are successively picked up by the can feed star wheel 3| of the can filler 23 at this second station.

The upward extension of the shaft 3B of this can feed star wheel 3| drives the bevel gear 4U which in turn drives the bevel pinion 4|, stub shaft 42 and rotor 48. The periphery 5|! of this rotor 48 is in wiping contact with the lowermost parchment paper separator 2| of the stack of these separators contained in the cylindrical magazine 6G and its supporting base block 56, this wiping contact being with the left hand side of this lowermost parchment paper separator as viewed in Fig. 15. The opposite side of this stack of parchment paper separators 2| is supported by the upper end of the pin 6| which projects upwardly through the semi-circular plate 52 at the bottom of the magazine. This pin serves to support the stack of parchment paper separators 2| in a slightly inclined position and with a minimum frictional contact with the lowermost separator of this stack so that this lowermost separator 2| can be stripped from the bottom of the stack by the rotor 48 with a minimum amount of force.

The lowermost parchment paper separator is so stripped from the bottom of the stack in the magazine by the rubber nipples i6 as they successively pass in contact with the bottom of the stack and which operate as vacuum nipples to seize the lowermost separator of the stack and to hold it to the rotor until it reaches a position above the open end of the can i9 being conveyed 'by the can feed star wheel Si, at which time the parchment paper separator is released to be deposited in this can. The removal of the lowermost parchment paper separator 2| from the bottom of the stack of separators arranged in the magazine SS is facilitated by a slight radial extension of these rubber nipples it beyond the periphery 5i! of the rotor.

To renderrthe rubber nipples 16 operative as vacuum nipples along the descending side of the rotor 48, each vacuum nipple is provided with the passage F7 leading to the bore 'l5 and passage 78, this latter passage 'E8 opening to the flat face 52 of the rotor and being in communication with the arcuate groove 34 while the nipple is traversing the descending side of the rotor 48. This arcuate groove 4 is placed under vacuum through the bore 85, passage S5 and the vacuum line 88 which can be connected to any suitable form of vacuum device (not shown). The vacuum so produced in each rubber nipple 'i5 while traversing the descending side of the rotor 4B serves to hold the leading side of the parchment paper separator 2l, stripped from the bottom of the stack, to the periphery 5t of the rotor and displacement or crumpling of this separator so being carried along the descending side of the rotor 4S is prevented by the wide semi-circular shield @5 which embraces the descending side of this rotor in close proximity to its periphery.

When the rubber nipple with a parchment paper separator 2| secured thereto by vacuum reaches the bottom of the rotor, this vacuum is relieved and, if desired, a puff of air under pressure can be supplied to the nipple at its lowermost position on the rotor to blow the leading end of the parchment paper separator 2| downwardly into the open end of the can i9 being conveyed thereunder by the can feed star wheel 3|. For

7 this purpose, when each rubber nipple 'I6 reaches the bottom of the rotor t8, its passage i3 comes 'into register with the port 89 of the stationary valve member 8l. This port 89 is connected either to the atmosphere or to a source of coinpressed air (not shown) through the passage 98 and line 9| and hence at this time a puff of air, determined by the 'extent of registry of the pas* sage 13 with the port 89 is admitted to the inverted rubber nipple it to so blow the parchment paper separator 2| from the rotor 59 into the can yl Q arranged thereunder.

The1 stripping of the parchment paper separator 2l from the bottom of the rotor 5B is further facilitated by the stationary Wire stripping ngers 96, these ngers straddling the ascending side of the rotor lli and having reversely bent extremities which extend along the bottom of the descending side of the rotondi) tangentially to its periphery to eiiect a smooth stripping of each separator 2l therefrom.

It will be understood that a parchment paper separator 2i is dropped into each can being conveyed by the can feed star wheel 3! and that hence the rotation of the rotor 48 must be synchronized lwith the rotation of this can feed star wheel 3 l. To this end the can feed star wheel 3! is shown as having eight can pockets; a four-to-one ratio is provided by the bevel gears il and lil, and the rotor 48 is provided with two diametrically oppo- Isitely located rubber transfer nipples l, as previously indicated.

It will further be noted that the helical compression spring 52 constantly urges the valve member 8| to the left, as viewed in Fig. 9, so as to insure an intimate contact between the nat face 83 of this valve member and the nat face 52 of the rotor 48. p The parchment paper separator 2i so dropped into each can at the second station falls nat on top of the rst layer 20a of foodstuis packed therein. The can feed star Wheel 3i thereupon introduces this can into the can ller 23 at the second station Where the second layer 26D of foodstuffs is deposited upon this parchment paper separator 2l. In a continuous progression each of the cans in the line is so provided with a parchment paper separator 2i and a second layer Zeb of foodstuis at this second station, and this continuous progression of cans is conveyed to the third, fourth and fth stations where the process performed at the second station is successively repeated. Each can is lled layer by layer with dii'erent oodstuis and with a parchment paper separator 2| between adjacent layers until the 'can has been completely filled at the ith station as illustrated in Fig. 7. From this fifth station the filled can passes to the can sealer 25 where its top 2B is applied and sealed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a rapid process and apparatus for Jfilling cans with layers of different ieodstufs separated by parchment paper separators and which act in conjunction with a continuously moving line of cans so as to provide commercial capacity. It will further be seen that the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 9-15 for dispensing the parchment paper separators into the passingl cans is of eXtrem-ely simple construction considering` the iunction which it performs, and operates rapidly and positively to drop a single parchment paper separator properly into cach can Without likelihood of crunlpling the same.

I claim:

1. A device for dispensing sheet material astaoas 8 piecesinto a procession of open containers moving adjacent the device, comprising a frame, a rotor having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably arranged on said frame so that the bottom peripheral portion ci said rotor is adjacent to the procession of containers, a stack of said sheet material pieces arranged above said rotor and resting on said periphery thereof so as to be partially supported thereby, suction means arranged on said periphery to strip oli' the lowermost piece from said stack and hold such piece on the rotor during rotation oi the same, and means arranged to release said lowermost piece from sai-d rotor when adjacent one of the containers in said procession.

2. A device for dispensing sheet material pieces into a procession of open containers moving adjacent the device, comprising a frame, a rotor having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably arranged on said frame so that the bottom peripheral portion of said rotor is adjacent to the procession of containers, a stack of said sheet material pieces arranged above said rotor and resting on one bottom side on said periphery thereof so as to be partially supported thereby, means supporting the other bottom side of said stack on said frame at a higher elevation than the level of contact of said stack with said periphery so that the lorvermost piece in said stack slants downwardly in the direction of movement of the said periphery contacted by said lowermost pie-cc, .suction means arranged on said periphery to strip ofi said loaverrnost piece and held such piece on the rotor during rotation of the saine, and means arranged to release said lowerinost piece from said rotor when adjacent one of the containers in said procession.

3. A device for dispensing sheet material pieces into a procession of containers moving adjacent tc the device, comprising a trarne, a magasine provided with an opening in its bottoni, a stack of said sheet material pieces arrange-d in said magasine, an upstanding pin arranged adjacent the bottoni of said magazine and supporting one bottom side of said stack at a higher elevation than the opposite bottom side thereof, a rotor having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably arranged on said frame between the procession of containers and said stack, said opposite bottom side of said stack resting cn said periphery so as to be partially supported thereby, suction means arranged on said periphery to strip oil' the lowermost piece from stack and hold such piece on the rotor during rotation of the same, and means arranged to release said loWermost piece from said rotor when adjacent one or the containers in said procession.

4. A device for dispensing sheet material pieces into a procession of open containers moving adjacent the device, comprising a frame, a rotor having cylindrical periphery and rotatably arranged on saidpframe so that the botperipherai portion of said rotor is adjacent to the procession of containers, a stack or said sheet material pieces ananged above said roter and resting on periphery thereof so as to be partially supported thereby, sheet mar ai pieces ben wider than the axial thickness said periphery, suction means arranged on periphery to strip oil" the lowermost piece from said stack and hold such piece on the rotor dining rotation of the same, and means arranged to release said lowermost piece from said rotor into a container arranged below said rotor and including a stripper nger arranged on either axial side of said rotor at the bottom thereof and extending substantially tangentially outwardly from said periphery in the direction of movement thereof whereby said lowermost piece engages said stripper fingers and is forced away from said periphery into said container arranged therebelow.

RUSSELL H. WINTERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Abjornsson et al. Dec. 31, 1912 Murray Feb. 24, 1931 Lindgren Mar. 15, 1932 Morris Oct. 11, 1932 Chiger Oct. 23, 1934 Reininger July 28, 1936 Waters May 23, 1939 Schwertfeger June 27, 1939 Long Oct. 19, 1943 Nobles Sept. 12, 1944' 

